Calspan has accumulated considerable
experience and developed specialized test techniques
over the past five decades in the crash testing
of vehicles and roadside structures.
These tests have involved structural
crashworthiness, occupant crash protection,
and accident reconstruction.
Full-scale crash tests are performed
at Calspan's Vehicle Experimental Research
Facility (VERF). VERF is typically used to aid
in the design of vehicles and evaluate conformance
with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS) such as:
FMVSS 204
FMVSS 208
FMVSS 212 and 219
FMVSS 214D
FMVSS 301
In addition to these FMVSS type tests,
Calspan performs a wide variety of research
and development experiments, ranging from car-to-car
impacts to full-scale tractor trailer testing.
Primary resource for the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in
the performance of Compliance and New Car
Assessment (NCAP) tests
Certified by the Japanese Ministry of
Transport (JMOT) to perform Japanese FMVSS 208
testing.
Calspan's Indoor Side Impact
facility offers excellent temperature control
as well as a newly poured smooth concrete
vehicle test surface.
Calspan also has two deformable
moving barriers that have been specified
for use by the NHTSA for research and development
testing.
These 214D barriers are typically
instrumented with one or more tri-axial
accelerometers and on-board cameras.
Side Impact Test
Moving
Barrier Testing Facility
Calspan offers a full line of moving barriers
(carts) and miscellaneous accessories, which
include but are not limited to:
FMVSS 214D Moving Deformable Barrier,
with compliance or research axles
FMVSS 214D Side Pole Test Cart
FMVSS 301 Rear Impact Moving Barrier
ECE R95 Side Impact Moving Deformable
Barrier
ECE R32 Rear Impact Moving Barrier
Bumper Test Trolley
Dynamic Rollover Cart and/or Ramp
FMVSS 214D MDB
Static Rollover
50 mph Rear Impact Test
Staged Collision Impact Facility
Two test vehicles can be brought together over
the mid-track photographic pit area at a prescribed
relative velocity and angle by means of a cable/pulley
system.